Pueblo Viejo in Austin closed its dining operations following an executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott which limits social gatherings to 10 people. March 20, 2020. Photo credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune

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Up from the state’s recent record low unemployment rate of 3.5% in January, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Thursday the unemployment rate in Texas is now around 9% as the new coronavirus spreads.

Hegar said projections as recently as mid-March had unemployment rates rising to 6%.

“By the end of the week, no, this thing is worse than that,” Hegar said, speaking on air to the Texas Standard. “It’s up to probably 9%. And I have no doubt that people are going to start forecasting it’s going to be slightly in the low double digits.”

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Unemployment insurance claims filed with The Texas Workforce Commission reached 16,038 from March 8 through March 14, the agency said in its latest release, compared to 11,556 claims filed during the same week in 2019.

The record-high unemployment rate for a single month in Texas was 9.2% in November 1986, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Texas unemployment rate headed toward double digits, comptroller warns” was first published at https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/24/texas-unemployment-rate-has-more-doubled-9-comptroller-says/ by The Texas Tribune. The Texas Tribune is proud to celebrate 10 years of exceptional journalism for an exceptional state.